Cartoon 912: About the money

Electric utilities would not be championing and rushing to install “smart” power meters if it were not a financial windfall for them. It allows two things to occur. First, use variable billing up to the minute. Second, it allows rate changes at the minute level that bypass review commissions and public debate.

Suppose one window for a higher rate is Saturday between 7:00 am – 12:00 pm. They can change it instantly to 1:00 pm. You will only really know something is different when you receive the bill. They will point you to a clause that in effect says billing rate changes may occur at any time.

How do you know if the “smart meter” is accurate? You can never really know. Everything is proprietary. It would be difficult or impossible to get a court order, even if you somehow could prove discrepancies.

Another case of heads they win and tails you lose.